TEAM PHILIPPINES lost the Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista-Daniel Ponce de Leon battle, but won the war decisively against Mexico to capture the Boxing World Cup Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Arco Arena in Sacremento, California.
With the veteran Gerry Pe?alosa turning back the hands of time, the Filipino boxers won five of six bouts in the highly-entertaining card organized by Oscar dela Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions to lay claim to the World Cup which the Mexicans earlier won after beating Thailand back in 2005.
Pe?alosa, who at 35 makes him the oldest among the Filipino campaigners, scored the biggest victory for the country when he crushed Johnny Gonzalez via a spectacular seventh round knockout to wrest the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title.
Pe?alosa pulled this one off in style. He was trailing in the judges’ scorecards through six rounds against the highly skillful Gonzalez, until the Mexican made a mistake that spelled doom for him.
Gonzalez was keeping his distance when he suddenly threw a right hand and missed, leaving his body wide open for Pe?alosa’s counter-attack, a crippling left hook body shot that sent the Mexican in all fours and in serious pain.
It was all over. Gonzalez was counted out by the referee and Pe?alosa, who first won the world super fly title more than 10 years ago, is world champion once again.
“I can’t believe it,” Pe?alosa said. “This is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life, to be a champion. I’m so proud for Team Philippines.”
Also winning for Team Philippines were Diosdado Gabi, Michael Domingo, AJ Banal, and Z Gorress.
Gabi, who is from Davao City, gave the country its first win following a unanimous decision win over Jose Angel Beranza in an eight-round super bantamweight clash.
All three judges scored the fight in favor of Gabi, 80-71.
Domingo followed this up with an upset victory over previously unbeaten junior featherweight Miguel Roman in another eight-round unanimous decision that stunned the pro-Mexican crowd.
Banal later made it 3-0 after knocking out Jorge Cardenas in the third round, then Gorres clinched the win for the Philippines with yet another stoppage victory.
Gorres, coming off a controversial loss to Fernando Montiel, stopped former world junior flyweight champion Eric Ortiz in the eighth round.
Gorres opened a cut above the left eye of Ortiz in ruling the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight eliminator.
But it was rather a sad ending for the country when Bautista lost his match in the night’s final pairing.
The 21-year-old Bautista was eyeing to put an exclamation point to the Filipino victory after his compatriots made it 5-0 and claim a world title of his own when he was severely beaten right in the opening round.
Ponce De Leon knocked Bautista out in a stunning fashion to retain his WBO 122-pound title and restore some pride for Team Mexico.
Ponce De Leon came out in his usual fearless style, throwing haymakers and combinations at a retreating Bautista, who was getting his first title shot.
In the final minute of the round, Ponce De Leon landed a right jab-left hook combination that sent Bautista tumbling over his toes and crashing woozily into the ropes.
Referee Jon Schorle allowed the fight to continue, and Ponce De Leon finished it off with 30 seconds left on a neck snapping left to Bautista’s unprotected head.
That was the only splendid moment for Mexico as the Philippines had by then all but wrapped up the World Cup, a gold and diamond-encrusted $500,000 trophy.
And more than that, the Philippines is once again on top of the boxing world.
